One year ago today: January 31, 2023, raccoons or rats?
Five years ago today: January 31, 2019, 70% tattoos.
Nine years ago today: January 31, 2015, cameras & apples.
Random years ago today: January 31, 2004, beware the cop setup.
Unable to shake the sleepiness, we almost missed today. I fell back asleep after breakfast at sun-up and did not waken until 4:00PM. I got a couple hour in closing more books for 2023 and you know, certain medical expenses are not that bad if you shop around. It’s getting things done at hospitals that costs. My old union insurance pays for life if I ever have any bills over $206. Well, my back X-ray was only $170 and my special eye exam was $160. I’m not prone to small problems of the kind that require treatment, thank goodness.
I put a package of electronics together for Wilford. Most robitics-oriented, that means sensors, trim capacitors, lots of 330Ω, 1kΩ, and 22kΩ resistors, and a complementary multi-meter and breadborad. He also gets the Parallax board, which I have not touched in six years. If that guy ever get’focussed, we’ll have something on the market within months. I still cannot locate my two big bags of red LEDs.
News from that old union is that a near final round of layoffs has let the class of 2003 go, but this is unverified. That means people hired in 2003 are out the door. Telecom is no longer a job for life. When I was there, people could borrow almost an infinite amount of money and play middle class the rest of their lives. This had a serious side effect. You see, it was a great job if they’d leave you alone to do it. But the company was aware the average person who had been there over five eyars was up to their eyeballs in debt and they could start batting you around. You can imagine how well that worked on me.
Times Square station.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.
Cancel the pancake breadfast in Punta Gorda, seems some unexpected company is arriving. And I receive another message that the jam session emcee can’t make it this evening. That’s twice in three weeks, this has a familiar ring to it. The Prez & I are the only people ready to step into the void. Sadly, this is one of the times we do it for free, which you know I am not keen on. This gives even non-band members a glimpse at the size of the problems and why one must be so careful about who you team up with. When the guitar player calls in sick, it means moving a lot of my old band gear. Add an hour for setup and takedown. I’m goint to try to get some new footage tonight with the old Canon.
I’ve got a new unique tip jar. I’ll tray anything, we’ve made maybe $12 each since November. Another factor that always rears up is the “I’m not in it for the money”, mostly guitar players. The trick is to get a good paying gig or some good tips and it is amazing how quickly they turn around. They still maintain it ain’t the motive but dang, an extra hundred bucks is pure gravy any time.
The evening was a complete success except for the small crowd. The jam session is normally over by the time anybody shows up. It is some local effect where the drinking crowd shows up a the end of happy hour elsewhere. A number of factors were evident today. Foremost is that we are more than ready. While there’s always more that could be done, I’m most happy that the focus of the duo has now shifted. Quit caring about playing it like the original and do the best job you can presenting it to the crowd. The average was six people at any given time. Including Tonya who tipped us ten bucks. A couple of strangers commented on the sound, it really does sound like almost a trio. We got this.
It’s not all roses. For the first time in a year, I had to hump gear. I found several cords that were not working. Both the Prez & I were weary, though not exhausted, after only 2-1/2 hours. Errors and distractions are common on stage but we handily deal with that nowadays. The past three months of stage time has made an amazing difference. It’s too short a spell to get better musically, but that we know is just a fraction of what’s needed to put on a show.
We quit at 9:30PM but would have had enough material for the projected three-hour show. Oh, and I was right about that. Three-hours is an increasing standard, down from four hours (and taking three 20-minute breaks), according to the booking lady downtown. She probably just forgets how she pooh-poohed that when I brought it up six years ago. Our price is $150 for three hours.
I believe I’ll do the rounds again and take any gig I can find. Get a foot in the door somewhere, maybe the Legion over on the highway. Let Keith have his jam session back. Or toy with the idea of simply arranging to have my duo play on Thursdays. That would create the only club in Polk with live entertainment Wednesday through Saturday.
ADDENDUM
Interesting, In-and-Out Burger, famous for never closing a store, has closed onein California. They don’t say the word, but everybody knows what the problem is. They were openly breaking into cars in the parking lot and robbing people walking out the door. It’s amazing to hear these neighborhoods complain that pharmacies and Wal*Mart are clearing the hell out. “They are taking baby food and aspirins with them.”
